Look for any podcast host, guest or anyone
Showing episodes and shows of

Stuart McNish

Shows

Conversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterDoing Business in British Columbia? Yes, but… Guest: Brad LiskiDoing Business in British Columbia? Yes, but… Guest: Brad Liski By Stuart McNish   British Columbia is a wonderful jurisdiction to start a business. “Small businesses benefit from a number of programs that get the wheels turning,” says Brad Liski of Tru Earth. The company is addressing the environmental impact of 30 billion loads of laundry annually around the world. “We founded the company out of a desire to change the world and Tru Earth is doing that, one laundry load at a time,” says Liski.   The co-founder says, “I’ve started 2...
2025-09-2725 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterFrance and Canada Lean In on Trade Guest: Nicolas BaudouinFrance and Canada Lean In on Trade Guest: Nicolas Baudouin By Stuart McNish   The US tariffs are officially in place and Canada was hit hard. The rhetoric leading up to the imposition of the tariffs focused on a need to develop new trading relationships and expand existing ones. Canada and France have a trading history that goes back hundreds of years. Then in 2016, Canada signed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with the European Union.   The signing of the agreement opened up greater tariff-free access to France an...
2025-09-2724 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterThe 3% GDP Challenge Guest: Bridgette AndersonThe 3% GDP Challenge Guest: Bridgitte Anderson By Stuart McNish   “Whether it’s the rising cost of housing, unaffordable grocery bills, or an increasingly heavy tax burden, too many British Columbians feel the economy is not working for them,” says Bridgette Anderson, the CEO and President of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade. Earlier this year as the threat of American tariffs loomed, the Board called on the provincial government to focus on growing the British Columbia economy by 3 percent.   “To build a future worthy of our aspirations and one we...
2025-09-2724 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterBritish Columbia Forestry on its Knees Guest: Kim HaakstadBritish Columbia Forestry on its Knees Guest: Kim Haakstad By Stuart McNish   Independent of Trump’s tariffs, the US Department of Commerce increased its duty on Canadian softwood lumber from 14 to 35 percent. Kim Haakstad, the President of the BC Council of Forest Industries, says, “It’s a blow to an industry in trouble.” The war in the woods in the early 1990s led to the Forest Practices Code, which led to ongoing changes in legislation that hampered the industry and has seen more than 40,000 jobs disappear.   The reasons th...
2025-09-2724 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterThe Sensible Environmentalist Guest: Mark JaccardThe Sensible Environmentalist Guest: Mark Jaccard By Stuart McNish   “We are all capable of believing things we know to be untrue…the only check on it is that sooner or later, a false belief bumps up against solid reality, usually on a battlefield,” wrote George Orwell. It’s a quote that opens Mark Jaccard’s book, “The Citizen’s Guide to Climate Success: Overcoming Myths that Hinder Progress.”   “The conversation about energy production in Canada is in transition and we need to  focus on the truth rather than the myths,” says...
2025-09-2728 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterSkills and Trades in an A.I. World Guest: Ajay PatelSkills and Trades in an A.I. World Guest: Ajay Patel, President of Vancouver Community College By Stuart McNish   As the world learns to adjust to and adapt to artificial intelligence, one of the key questions parents and those entering the workforce are asking themselves is, “What professions will survive? In other words, what should I study to ensure I can be assured work now and into the future?” Ajay Patel, the President of Vancouver Community College answers: “Skills and trades. A.I. can’t mimic the uniquely human skills needed for, in t...
2025-09-2724 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterFentanyl: No One is Immune Guest: Kevin deBruyckereFentanyl: No One is Immune Guest: Kevin deBruyckere, former head of federal policing in British Columbia By Stuart McNish   “In 2013, in my role as Head of Federal Policing in British Columbia, I started to see an increase in drug-related deaths attributed to a powder form of fentanyl being delivered by mail,” says Kevin deBruyckere. “On May 23rd 2014, it hit home for my family – my 22-year-old son lost his life and our family became a victim of the fentanyl epidemic.”   Over the next decade, more than 16,000 people have lost their l...
2025-09-2725 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterC-5: Build, Baby, Build! Guest: Radha Curpen C-5: Build, Baby, Build! Guest: Radha Curpen, McMillan LLP By Stuart McNish   In an odd way, it’s as though Prime Minister Mark Carney has borrowed a card from President Donald Trump when he pushed through Bill C-5. The Prime Minister announced the concept of the bill on June 6 and twenty days later, it passed in the House and Senate. That’s lightyears faster than the U.S. President's passing of his “Big Beautiful Bill.”   Bill C-5 has been framed as a national plan to “remove federal barriers to i...
2025-09-2723 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterRepurposing the Site C Work Camp Guest: Mukhtar LatifRepurposing the Site C Work Camp Guest: Mukhtar Latif, CEO of Pomegranate Housing Consultancy By Stuart McNish   “We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create Canada’s premier centre for excellence in mental health and addictions in [British Columbia]’s northeast,” says Mukhtar Latif of Pomegranate Housing Consultancy. The North Wind Wellness Centre Society and Treaty 8 First Nations have put forward a plan to repurpose the Site C workers’ camp into a permanent asset that will deliver transformational healthcare services.   The worker accommodation facility was built to house 1,600 workers and...
2025-09-2724 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterTech Entrepreneurship in British Columbia Guest: Shawn Johnston Tech Entrepreneurship in British Columbia Guest: Shawn Johnston By Stuart McNish   In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, the journey of building a tech company from scratch in British Columbia can be both exhilarating and daunting. Shawn Johnston, a serial tech company founder, knows the ups and downs better than anyone. “I’ve had my face pressed against the glass more than once. That’s when you stare into the financial abyss and can’t see a way out, but then you do.”   Survival in the hostile world of start-ups...
2025-09-2723 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterThe Odds of You Being You Guest: Ali BinazirThe Odds of You Being You Guest: Ali Binazir By Stuart McNish   About four and a half billion years ago, Earth’s Hadean eon was undergoing significant geological and chemical changes. Evidence suggests that the Earth’s first crust was forming and the beginnings of life were lining up. Fast-forward 3.8 billion years and biological life started to emerge shortly after the formation of the oceans.   It was a turbulent time in Earth’s history and the evidence suggests that human intelligence emerged a few million years ago. “If you con...
2025-09-2728 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterMark Carney so far Guest: Don StickneyMark Carney so far Guest: Don Stickney By Stuart McNish   On April 28, 2025, Mark Carney won enough seats to claim victory and form government. He’s three seats short of a majority government in a parliament that won’t defeat him. There is no coalition that will rise up and pass a motion of non-confidence. He immediately went to work as a Prime Minister with confidence that he could rule with authority – and he has done so.   Much to the surprise of many, he quickly cherry-picked the Conservative Party’s...
2025-09-2726 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterWhy Happiness Matters Guest: John HelliwellEp 563 - Why Happiness Matters Guest: John Helliwell By Stuart McNish   “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin hit the charts in 1988 and it soared to number one on the Billboard charts. It was the first a-cappella song to hit number one. Why? “Because it struck a chord with people; it lifted their spirits and got them bopping along,” says John F. Helliwell, the author of the World Happiness Report.   Helliwell says, “Happiness is an enduring state of mind that consists of the capacity to experience pleasure on a...
2025-09-2724 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 517 - A crisis of indecision in Canada Guest: Gavin DewEp 517 - A crisis of indecision in Canada Guest: Gavin Dew   By Stuart McNish   On June 26th, Gavin Dew posted disappointing news on his LinkedIn profile. After four years of planning, fundraising, and negotiation with the City of Abbotsford, the Tech District project was pulling the plug. Dew says, “We couldn’t keep spending time and money without a clear signal from city council that this $5-billion private sector investment would be approved.”   Dew said, “I know a lot of people are disappointed. I’m proud of the...
2024-10-1326 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp - 516 - Weaving Two Worlds Guests: Christy Smith - Michael McPhieEp - 516 - Weaving Two Worlds Guests: Christy Smith - Michael McPhie   By Stuart McNish   “The key to the Canadian economy is in the hands of First Nations,” says Christy Smith and Michael McPhie in their book, “Weaving Two Worlds,” a guide to economic reconciliation. According to Smith, “The intent of the book is to help First Nations, governments, and companies work together in the development of natural resources.”   McPhie says, “We believe the resource sector and the people within it have a meaningful role to play in advanc...
2024-10-1330 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 515 - Electronic Recycling Done Right Mohammad DoostmohammadiEp 515 - Electronic Recycling Done Right Mohammad Doostmohammadi    By Stuart McNish   “There are six elements that play a key role in optimizing fuel and chemical production,” says Mohammad Doostmohammdi of pH7. “Without them, green hydrogen, low-carbon steel, biofuels and other climate technologies are not possible.” Those six elements are platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, and osmium – and they are among the rarest on earth.   While challenging to identify ore bodies with mineable resources, there is an emerging opportunity in recovery. “There are 17.4 million troy ounces of these element...
2024-09-1223 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 514 - Real Estate Lessons from Singapore Guest: Ernst LangEp 514 - Real Estate Lessons from Singapore Guest: Ernst Lang   By Stuart McNish   “We can learn a few things from Singapore,” says Ernst Lang, the founder and CEO of Promerita Group. “Singapore has been getting housing right for many decades. In fact, it has found a way to make most of its housing affordable whilst also protecting the value of privately owned homes.”   According to a report by the Urban Land Institute, “private homes in Singapore are the most expensive in Asia” with an average value of $1.7 m...
2024-09-1225 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 513 - British Columbia’s Lacklustre Prosperity Guest: David WilliamsEp 513 - British Columbia’s Lacklustre Prosperity Guest: David Williams   By Stuart McNish   According to the 2024 British Columbia Prosperity Index, “BC places 11th out of 21 peer jurisdictions for overall prosperity.” The study was developed with the Centre for the Study of Living Standards, which compares BC’s performance on a range of economic, business, social and environmental indicators.   David Williams says, “There is no medal for 11th place and for good reason. This matters for young families and people aspiring to build a future in this province...
2024-09-1225 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 512 - To the Edge of Death and Back Guest: Paul DraganJuly 12, 2024 Ep 512 - To the Edge of Death and Back Guest: Paul Dragan   By Stuart McNish Ten years ago on June 10, 2014, Paul Dragan sat down to enjoy a cup of coffee across the street from his business, Reckless Bikes. He took a sip and as he looked up, a heavyset man wearing a bicycle helmet came around the corner, pulled out a gun and shot Paul in the chest. He landed on the ground, blood pouring out of his chest.   “Were it not for a seri...
2024-09-1223 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 511 - Drug Free Kids Guest: Chantal VallerandEp 511 - Drug Free Kids Guest: Chantal Vallerand   By Stuart McNish   On Dec 8th, 2022, Jennifer Whiteside was appointed Minister for Mental Health and Addictions. At the time she said, “The Premier has asked me to prioritize accelerating BC’s response to the illicit drug toxicity crisis. The Premier has also asked me to expand new complex care, treatment, recovery, detox and after-care facilities across the province.”   Months later, the BC Centre for Disease Control released its report showing that in 2022, overdoses from opioids and illicit drugs wer...
2024-07-0823 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 510 - Post-Pandemic Leadership Guest: Ron BremnerEp 510 - Post-Pandemic Leadership Guest: Ron Bremner   By Stuart McNish   COVID-19 disrupted supply lines and our lives. Now that the lockdowns are over, the lingering impact of the dramatic shifts in the workplace remain. During the pandemic, work from home became the rule. Many employees seized the opportunity and not only thrived, but they moved away – far away, so far that coming into the office became a remote possibility.   “The work from home practice was needed during the pandemic; now it poses a new challenge,” says exec...
2024-07-0826 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 509 - Meet the BC Conservative Leader Guest: John RustadEp 509 - Meet the BC Conservative Leader Guest: John Rustad   By Stuart McNish   It’s been two years since John Rustad parted ways with the BC United Party over differences about climate change science. Regarding the reason for his removal from the party, Kevin Falcon is quoted as saying, “Climate change is one of the most critical threats facing our future.” And he added that Rustad “does not speak on behalf of [the] caucus on this issue.”   Six months later, John Rustad took over the leadership of...
2024-07-0826 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 508 - Generously Giving Guest: Megan Owen-EvansEp 508 - Generously Giving Guest: Megan Owen-Evans   By Stuart McNish   In the book “Why Good Things Happen to Good People,” Stephen Post writes that “giving to others” has been shown to increase health benefits. A separate study by Michael Norton from Harvard Business School revealed that “people are happier when they spend money on others versus themselves.” Megan Owen-Evans went far beyond the giving of money – she donated a kidney and part of her liver to two different anonymous recipients.     “Donating a kidney or a part of your liver is...
2024-07-0825 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 507 - A Bleak Market for EVs Guest: Adam PankratzEp 507 - A Bleak Market for EVs Guest: Adam Pankratz   By Stuart McNish   “Little did we know how fast the free market would slap the electric vehicle mandate back to reality, while Canadian taxpayers continue to subsidize green fantasies,” says Adam Pankratz, a lecturer at the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business. The “slap” is in reference to plummeting sales of electric vehicles in North America.   Pankratz says, “The signs emerged in September 2023 when Volkswagen announced it was ‘cutting EV output’ due to low demand and i...
2024-06-1226 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 506 - Will AI produce a state of Deep Utopia? Guest: Nick BostromEp 506 - Will AI produce a state of Deep Utopia? Guest: Nick Bostrom   By Stuart McNish   In his new book “Deep Utopia: Life and Meaning in a Solved World,” philosopher Nick Bostrom ponders what life could be like in a “solved world” – a world where everything works and works better than if human hands got in the way. “What then?” asks Bostrom, is the reason to work? “Is it to earn extra income or because working is an intrinsically valued activity?”    Bostrom is the head of the Future of Human...
2024-06-1226 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 505 - Has the Floatel Sunk? Guest: Christine KennedyEp 505 - Has the Floatel Sunk? Guest: Christine Kennedy   By Stuart McNish   The District of Squamish denied Woodfibre LNG’s application for a temporary use permit for its Bridgemans “floatel,” citing concerns over safety, environmental, and community impacts. Council also cited a lack of information from the company as its reasons for saying no to the refurbished cruise ship that is intended to act as a floating workforce accommodation.   “[It’s] hard to comprehend,” said Christine Kennedy, the President of Woodfibre LNG. “The District has asked repeatedly...
2024-06-1224 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 504 - Vancouver: Beautiful, yes – but! Guest: Bridgitte AndersonEp 504 - Vancouver: Beautiful, yes – but! Guest: Bridgitte Anderson   By Stuart McNish   No doubt about it: Vancouver is beautiful. It’s beautiful to visit, it’s a beautiful place to study, and it’s a beautiful city to retire in. “But,” says Bridgitte Anderson, the CEO of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, “it’s not so beautiful of a place to build a robust economy.” In fact, according to a new report commissioned by GVBOT, “the region’s economic size and mix under-performs when it comes to creating high-paid jobs or high-p...
2024-05-1824 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 503 - Canada’s Sagging Productivity Guest: Jock FinlaysonEp 503 - Canada’s Sagging Productivity Guest: Jock Finlayson   By Stuart McNish   On March 26th, 2024, the Bank of Canada issued a report titled “Time to Break the Glass: Fixing Canada’s Productivity Problem.” Senior Deputy Governor Carolyn Rogers said at a speech in Halifax, “Productivity is a way to inoculate the economy against inflation.”   The question ahead is, why has Canadian productivity sagged and how can it be turned around? Jock Finlayson, the Chief Economist at the Independent Contractors of BC, says, “Canada needs to reorient policy t...
2024-05-1824 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 502 - Is Peace Possible in Gaza? Gidi GrinsteinEp 502 - Is Peace Possible in Gaza? Gidi Grinstein   By Stuart McNish   At the time of the recording of this interview, the war in Gaza raged on. Since Oct 7, when more than 1139 Israelis had been killed and another 240 taken hostage, Israel vowed to destroy Hamas. The atrocities of that day also severely challenged Israeli’s sense of compassion for Palestinians.   In Palestine, the death toll is horrifying – more than 30,000 Palestinians are believed to have died and another 72,000 have been injured.   The war and...
2024-05-1829 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 498 - How Canada Saved Me Guest - Sasha LuchkovEp 498 - How Canada Saved Me Guest - Sasha Luchkov   By Stuart McNish   On February 24th, 2022, in the dark of the night in Mukachevo, Ukraine, Sasha Luchkov woke to the news that his country was under attack. Sasha, a piano protege at the age of 17, was already an accomplished pianist. He had recently placed second in the Scherzo International piano competition, where he performed Beethoven’s Sonata #17.   Luchkov also performed at the Horowitz International piano competition and the Perugia MusicFest. When the war intensified, Luchkov says...
2024-04-0923 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 497 - Climate Action: The Net Zero Economy Guest - John StackhouseEp 497 - Climate Action: The Net Zero Economy Guest - John Stackhouse   By Stuart McNish   “Population and economic growth spell a demand for much more energy,” states the opening paragraph of RBC’s Climate Action Institute report. The Institute is honest in its assessment of the path forward to a Net Zero economy. The bank’s John Stackhouse says, “Climate pressures spell an imperative for a different mix of energy sources.” Looking forward, the global population is forecast to exceed 9 billion by approximately 2040. “Can the world population power itself int...
2024-04-0926 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 496 - Ballooning Public Service Guest - Renaud BrossardEp 496 - Ballooning Public Service Guest - Renaud Brossard   By Stuart McNish   According to the Montreal Economic Institute, Justin Trudeau ranks first among Canadian Prime Ministers over the past 40 years when it comes to the expansion in the size of the civil service. In a recent study, MEI notes that “over the past few decades, the number of employees in the federal public service has fluctuated somewhat under the mandate of successive governments under Justin Trudeau's current government. However, we are witnessing a truly unprocessed identity expansion.”    Re...
2024-04-0923 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 495 - Child Sex Trafficking Guest - Cathy PetersEp 495 - Child Sex Trafficking Guest - Cathy Peters   By Stuart McNish   National Human Trafficking Awareness Day in Canada is February 22nd. It was instituted as part of the government’s commitment to fighting human trafficking. The point was to “raise awareness of the magnitude of modern day slavery in Canada and abroad and to take steps to combat human trafficking.”   In her book, “Child Sex Trafficking in Canada,” Cathy Peters says, “This book should never have been written. But here we are. Society and culture have co...
2024-03-1924 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 494 - Canada and China: What Happened? Guest - Dr Paul EvansEp 494 - Canada and China: What Happened? Guest - Dr Paul Evans   By Stuart McNish   In 1970, Canada led the Western world by recognizing China. According to Paul Evans in his book, “Engaging China,” the Prime Minister of Canada Pierre Trudeau “believed that many of the world’s major issues ‘will not be resolved completely or in any lasting way unless and until an accommodation has been reached with the Chinese nation.’”   Over the course of the next 50 years, the Chinese economy and its clout grew from 1.7 percent...
2024-03-1924 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 493 - A Call to Purpose Guest - Mike RowlandsEp 493 - A Call to Purpose Guest - Mike Rowlands   “Redefining success for the purpose economy,” Mike Rowlands says, “is to become a part of the rapidly growing movement toward social purpose in business. The social purpose focus creates healthier communities, restoration of our shared environment and better outcomes for companies’ staff, customers and other stakeholders.”   Rowlands says the path to developing this framework  “emerged from our work with the nonprofit sector – a sector that required new brand strategies that enriched and enhanced their organizations' messaging.” The next step on the path to a so...
2024-03-1924 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 492 - The Fountain of Youth Guest - Angela Brooks-WilsonEp 492 - The Fountain of Youth Guest - Angela Brooks-Wilson   By Stuart McNish   Researchers at Simon Fraser University and BC Cancer have pinpointed specific physiological traits that they say “can help people live longer, healthier lives.” According to a recent study published in GeroScience, the healthiest, older adults live in a “sweet spot,” where more than 100 different physiological traits interact, and that dynamic interaction makes them healthier than their counterparts.   Key to living in the “sweet spot” is homeostasis, which is a collection of mechanisms that your body...
2024-03-1925 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 491 - The Claims of Life Guest - Diana Chapman WalshEp 491 - The Claims of Life Guest - Diana Chapman Walsh   By Stuart McNish   The Claims of Life, a new book by Diana Chapman Walsh, traces the emergence of a young woman who set out believing she wasn’t particularly smart but went on to meet multiple tests of leadership in the American academy – a place where everyone wants to be heard and no one wants a boss.   The Claims of Life offers readers an unusually intimate view of a trustworthy leadership that begins and ends in...
2024-03-1926 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 49o - Addressing the Infrastructure Deficit Guest - Mark LiedemannEp 49o - Addressing the Infrastructure Deficit Guest - Mark Liedemann   By Stuart McNish   The backbone of any complex society is its infrastructure. It is the glue that binds communities, provinces and countries together. The concept of infrastructure was central to Rome’s dominance for 500 years. Cody Gregory writes, “One of the key  aspects of Roman society and development was its unprecedented utilization of roads, sewers and aqueducts.”   Here in British Columbia, it was the railway that brought us into Confederation and it was the developmen...
2024-03-1925 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 487 - The Greatest Gift of All Guest: Paul SitnamEp 487 - The Greatest Gift of All Guest: Paul Sitnam   By Stuart McNish   “Impact investing is an investment strategy that aims to generate specific beneficial social or environmental effects in addition to financial gains,” according to Investopedia. It is upheld as a societal good, but it does not include devoting your life to helping others.  “The greatest gift of giving possible is your life’s work,” says Paul Sitnam. He is a living example having done just that for the past 40 years. Sitnam dedicated his life to international...
2024-01-2825 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 486 - Can First Nations Save Canada’s Economy? Guest: Chris SankeyEp 486 - Can First Nations Save Canada’s Economy? Guest: Chris Sankey   By Stuart McNish   “Canada’s per capita growth has been negative three out of the last four quarters,” says Perrin Beatty, the President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. He adds, “Canada needs to do more to attract investment” – a sentiment that was recently shared by a panel of experts for “Conversations Live” about economic reconciliation. Haisla Chief Counselor Crystal Smith said, “First Nations hold the key to the country’s economic future.”   It is a belief held b...
2024-01-2824 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 485 - The interconnectedness of all things Guest: Wade DavisEp 485 - The interconnectedness of all things Guest: Wade Davis By Stuart McNish   The Roman emperor Markus Aurelius posited in his book “Meditations” that “all things are implicated with one another and the bond is holy.” At the time of his writing, it was a philosophical concept. Today it has been proven by science – genomics in particular.   Wade Davis, the great Canadian thinker and anthropologist, in his talk at the Dr. Rix Distinguished Keynote address “The Wayfinders of Genomic Wisdom,” said that “studies of the human genome have left no doubt...
2024-01-0723 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 484 - How to Stop Stereotyping Seniors  Guest:  Rudy ButtignolEp 484 - How to Stop Stereotyping Seniors  Guest:  Rudy Buttignol By Stuart McNish   More than 7 million people in Canada are older than 64 – that’s just shy of 20 percent of us. I’m one of those people.  The issues that all seniors face include, but are not limited to, financial security, health care, and an end to ageism. Rudy Buttignol, the President of the Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP), represents associations across the country advocating with all levels of government on behalf of 330,000 members. According to Buttignol, “The greatest obstacle to...
2024-01-0724 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 483 - Youthful Cities: Attracting and retaining a young population Guest:  Robert BarnardEp 483 - Youthful Cities: Attracting and retaining a young population Guest:  Robert Barnard By Stuart McNish   How a city attracts young adults to live and work matters. Robert Barnard, the founder of Youthful Cities, says, “Young adults are vital today and into the future. Attracting young people is important. Equally [as] important is retention – that is, keeping their residents in the city.” On that account, Vancouver is good at attracting but not so good at retaining.   This is a problem, says Barnard. “The vitality of a city is embodied...
2024-01-0726 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 482 - Save Our Streets Guest:  Jess KetchumEp 482 - Save Our Streets Guest:  Jess Ketchum By Stuart McNish   At a press conference at the Woodwards development, the new Save Our Streets (SOS) public safety coalition said, “The growing crime, violence, vandalism and theft crisis is impacting local communities and businesses.” The costs associated with addressing security and safety, according to SOS spokesperson Jess Ketchum, are “jeopardizing the financial viability of many businesses and threatening their survival.”   The compounding effects of the rising lawlessness, according to Ketchum, include but are not limited to “concerns for the safety of...
2024-01-0723 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 481 - CleanBC’s $28.1-Billion Price Tag Guest:  Ken PeacockEp 481 - CleanBC’s $28.1-Billion Price Tag Guest:  Ken Peacock By Stuart McNish   The government of British Columbia is aiming to lower CO2 emissions by 40% by 2030. It’s a bold ambition – one that will reduce the BC economy by $28.1 billion, according to a model created by the CleanBC Roadmap. Ken Peacock, the Business Council of British Columbia (BCBC)’s Chief Economist, examined the model and discovered the stunning numbers.   Peacock says, “A $28.1-billion setback is significant.” After adding in emissions caps and a scheduled doubling of the carbon tax over...
2023-12-0926 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 480 - The Impact of Energy Poverty Guest:  Jock FinlaysonEp 480 - The Impact of Energy Poverty Guest:  Jock Finlayson By Stuart McNish   Energy poverty, according to the Canadian Urban Sustainability Practitioners, refers to “the experience of households or communities that struggle to heat their homes and power their lights and appliances” – a reality that is playing itself out in the Maritime provinces of Canada, and it has forced the hand of the Prime Minister to offer financial relief.   In his blog, “The Honest Broker,” Roger Pielke Jr. wrote of the “Iron Law of Climate Policy,” a law that demonstr...
2023-12-0926 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 479- Social Purpose: The New Business Mantra Guest:  Drew CollierEp 479- Social Purpose: The New Business Mantra Guest:  Drew Collier By Stuart McNish   Social purpose is emerging as an important and necessary part of business. “What is social purpose?” you ask. Drew Collier, the President and CEO of LGM Financial Services says, “Social purpose is the reason to be in business. It is not just a nice-to-have policy. It is the company’s reason for being – its social ambition – and it is the path to profitability.” It is, in the words of Simon Sinek, “the ‘why we do what we do,’ versus the ‘wha...
2023-12-0926 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 478- What is Keto Diet? Guest:  Dr. David HarperEp 478- What is Keto Diet? Guest:  Dr. David Harper By Stuart McNish   “For 30 years, I taught the wrong stuff to generations of students. I taught them that a low-fat high-carb diet was the way to eat to prevent chronic disease and I got it wrong,” says Dr. David Harper, the co-author of the “BioDiet: The Scientifically Proven, Ketogenic Way to Lose Weight and Improve Health.” Harper goes on to say, “We now have 20 years of scientific evidence that a well-formulated ketogenic diet reduces chronic disease.”   Harper is focused on c...
2023-12-0926 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 477 - Canada: The World is a Hard Place Guest:  John RapleyEp 477 - Canada: The World is a Hard Place Guest:  John Rapley By Stuart McNish   In the diplomatic spat between India and Canada, a rising India shows Canada that money is power, says John Rapley, a political economist at the University of Cambridge. He goes on to say that Canada is finding the world a hard place, and points out that it comes as a shock to Canada, namely because of its sense of itself.   Canada has historically been dominant – one of the world's biggest economies, a found...
2023-12-0929 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 476 - Eat More - That’s the Message Guest:  Dr Marion NestleEp 476 - Eat More - That’s the Message Guest:  Dr Marion Nestle By Stuart McNish   “We live in a food environment that encourages people to eat as much as possible,” says Dr. Marion Nestle. “Fighting those overwhelming messages and mustering up resistance is next to impossible!” The history of the “consume more” movement, says Nestle, “came about as a remedy to diseases of deficiency.” The message was so successful that Healthline now estimates that “42 percent of Americans are obese and two-thirds are overweight.”   In her book, “Food Politics,” Dr. Nestle...
2023-12-0926 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 475 -  Rent Control: A Blunt Tool Guest: David HutniakEp 475 -  Rent Control: A Blunt Tool Guest: David Hutniak By Stuart McNish   Housing affordability is a North American-wide issue. In the U.S., only seven states and Washington, D.C. have imposed rent controls as a measure to address housing affordability. Only seven states – largely because it is believed they don't work. In a poll conducted by the American Economic Association, 93% of its members agreed that a ceiling on rent controls reduces the quality and quantity of housing.   David Hutniak, the CEO of Landlord B.C., in a...
2023-12-0926 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 474 -  How Markets Shape Cities Guest: Alain BertaudEp 474 -  How Markets Shape Cities Guest: Alain Bertaud By Stuart McNish   What is a city and why does it exist? That may seem like a simple question but according to Alain Bertaud, the author of “Order Without Design: How Markets Shape Cities,” the answer is “not merely to house people but rather accommodate labour markets.” He goes on to acknowledge, “People are the most important part. They are the main attraction.”   The challenge for city planners, argues Bertaud, is that “they run into the interdependence between state and markets...
2023-12-0934 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 473 - The Looming Great Relocation Guest: Laura AlfaroEp 473 - The Looming Great Relocation Guest: Laura Alfaro By Stuart McNish   “Nearshoring, friendshoring and onshoring” are terms that are becoming common in reference to moves within the United States to address a number of issues associated with global value chains. According to co-author Laura Alfaro of a paper that was prepared for the Jackson Hole Symposium in 2023, there is a, “Looming Great Relocation” on the horizon.   Alfaro says, “The evidence is clear – the US reliance on China peaked in 2017. The introduction of tariffs by President Trump, the continued...
2023-12-0924 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 472 - The Importance of Workplace Accessibility Guest: Joel DembeEp 472 - The Importance of Workplace Accessibility Guest: Joel Dembe By Stuart McNish   “Accessibility” is a word that you hear more of, and for good reason. Canadian Paralympian Joel Dembe says, “Being accessible is essential when creating a strong and inclusive workplace and society. And it's good business. It’s good business in so many ways – namely it’s good for the bottom line.”     According to Jason Keck, the CEO and Co-Founder of Broker Buddha, “Diverse and inclusive companies are 35% more likely to surpass their competitors.” Joel Dembe adds, “Companies...
2023-12-0924 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 471 - The Great Remobilization Guest: Olaf GrothEp 471 - The Great Remobilization Guest: Olaf Groth By Stuart McNish   “In August 2022, when central bankers from around the world gathered for their annual meeting in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, a consensus emerged that the current methods for managing business cycles are woefully insufficient for managing today’s current economic and societal crises.” says Olaf Groth, one of the authors of a new book, “The Great Remobilization.”    “We have the energy crisis. We have the food crisis,” continues Groth. “We have the supply chain crisis and we have the war in Ukraine...
2023-12-0925 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 470 - The Reasonableness of Being Unreasonable Guest: Bob StamnesEp 470 - The Reasonableness of Being Unreasonable Guest: Bob Stamnes By Stuart McNish   “The logic of being unreasonable sounds like an oxymoron,” says Bob Stamnes, one of Canada’s most creative ad Execs. “Unless, of course, you know exactly why you are being unreasonable.” According to the Oxford Dictionary, logic is “reasoning conducted or assessed according to strict principles of validity.”    Stamnes says, “Unreasonable logic is when you stick to the facts and make sensible conclusions where others leap to emotionally safe decisions. Reasonable people will always come up with reason...
2023-12-0924 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 469 - Boosting scientific innovations in British ColumbiaEp 469 - Boosting scientific innovations in British Columbia Guest: Brenda Bailey By Stuart McNish   In April of 2023, the government of British Columbia announced a new life sciences and biomedical strategy. The objective is to position BC as a global hub in these sectors. Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation Brenda Bailey says, “We’re boosting our world-class talent, innovators, entrepreneurs and anchor companies to create high-quality jobs.”   The Minister’s claim about world-class talent is backed up by the fact that almost every COVID-19 vaccine candidate that reach...
2023-10-1625 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 468 - The electric helicopter revolutionEp 468 - The electric helicopter revolution Guest: Danny Sitnam By Stuart McNish   Can we achieve liftoff of electric helicopter passenger service? Danny Sitnam, the President and Founder of Helijet says, "Yes we can! But…"   The “but…” Sitnam refers to is, in fact, many “yes, but”s. Yes, helicopters can be powered by electricity – but the power plant for helicopters still needs to be built. Yes, batteries can carry enough of a charge to fly from Vancouver to Victoria – but the weight will eliminate a number of seats. Yes “we can” – but...
2023-10-1623 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 473 - The Looming Great RelocationEp 473 - The Looming Great Relocation Guest: Laura Alfaro By Stuart McNish   “Nearshoring, friendshoring and onshoring” are terms that are becoming common in reference to moves within the United States to address a number of issues associated with global value chains. According to co-author Laura Alfaro of a paper that was prepared for the Jackson Hole Symposium in 2023, there is a, “Looming Great Relocation” on the horizon.   Alfaro says, “The evidence is clear – the US reliance on China peaked in 2017. The introduction of tariffs by President Trump, the continued...
2023-10-1624 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 472 - The Importance of Workplace AccessibilityEp 472 - The Importance of Workplace Accessibility Guest: Joel Dembe By Stuart McNish   “Accessibility” is a word that you hear more of, and for good reason. Canadian Paralympian Joel Dembe says, “Being accessible is essential when creating a strong and inclusive workplace and society. And it's good business. It’s good business in so many ways – namely it’s good for the bottom line.”     According to Jason Keck, the CEO and Co-Founder of Broker Buddha, “Diverse and inclusive companies are 35% more likely to surpass their competitors.” Joel Dembe adds, “Companies...
2023-10-1624 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 471 - The Great RemobilizationEp 471 - The Great Remobilization Guest: Olaf Groth By Stuart McNish   “In August 2022, when central bankers from around the world gathered for their annual meeting in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, a consensus emerged that the current methods for managing business cycles are woefully insufficient for managing today’s current economic and societal crises.” says Olaf Groth, one of the authors of a new book, “The Great Remobilization.”    “We have the energy crisis. We have the food crisis,” continues Groth. “We have the supply chain crisis and we have the war in Ukraine...
2023-10-1625 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 470 - The Reasonableness of Being UnreasonableEp 470 - The Reasonableness of Being Unreasonable Guest: Bob Stamnes By Stuart McNish   “The logic of being unreasonable sounds like an oxymoron,” says Bob Stamnes, one of Canada’s most creative ad Execs. “Unless, of course, you know exactly why you are being unreasonable.” According to the Oxford Dictionary, logic is “reasoning conducted or assessed according to strict principles of validity.”    Stamnes says, “Unreasonable logic is when you stick to the facts and make sensible conclusions where others leap to emotionally safe decisions. Reasonable people will always come up with reason...
2023-10-1624 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 469 - Boosting scientific innovations in British ColumbiaEp 469 - Boosting scientific innovations in British Columbia Guest: Brenda Bailey By Stuart McNish   In April of 2023, the government of British Columbia announced a new life sciences and biomedical strategy. The objective is to position BC as a global hub in these sectors. Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation Brenda Bailey says, “We’re boosting our world-class talent, innovators, entrepreneurs and anchor companies to create high-quality jobs.”   The Minister’s claim about world-class talent is backed up by the fact that almost every COVID-19 vaccine candidate that reach...
2023-10-1625 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 468 - The electric helicopter revolutionEp 468 - The electric helicopter revolution Guest: Danny Sitnam By Stuart McNish   Can we achieve liftoff of electric helicopter passenger service? Danny Sitnam, the President and Founder of Helijet says, "Yes we can! But…"   The “but…” Sitnam refers to is, in fact, many “yes, but”s. Yes, helicopters can be powered by electricity – but the power plant for helicopters still needs to be built. Yes, batteries can carry enough of a charge to fly from Vancouver to Victoria – but the weight will eliminate a number of seats. Yes “we can” – but...
2023-10-1623 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 467 - Is Canada Sinking?Ep 467 - Is Canada Sinking? Guest: Chris Gardner By Stuart McNish   “We’re in trouble!” says Chris Gardner. “Big trouble and it's going to get worse, much worse.” The President of the Independent Contractors of British Columbia says, “The Prime Minister and Minister of Finance work in a building 4,427 kilometres from Surrey.” He says, “They’re even further away than that from understanding the challenges facing construction contractors, small business owners, entrepreneurs, and everyday Canadians.”   Gardner makes four compelling arguments: “First - health care is a disaster. Second – our rail, port...
2023-10-1628 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 466 - Ozempic and Weight LossEp 466 - Ozempic and Weight Loss Guest: Dr Devyn Parsons By Stuart McNish   It has been called a wonder drug for its unintended benefits to anyone wrestling with obesity. Ozempic does for obese people what their bodies can no longer do – shedding weight. Dr. Devyn Parsons, an obesity specialist, says, “Your body locks onto what it believes is your ideal weight – that, being the highest weight of your life. And it doesn’t want to let go.”   According to a study published by the American Journal of Public Healt...
2023-10-1524 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 465 - Seeing Street Kids’ PotentialEp 465 - Seeing Street Kids’ Potential Guest: Krista Thompson By Stuart McNish   “The reasons why children end up on the streets are complex. Often, their arrival represents an active decision on their part in response to serious rights violations at home,” says Moses Ogutu in “Under The Bridge: The Invisible Lives of Street Children.” Ogutu was a child of the street for five years. Today, he is an international business and trade lecturer at the African Leadership University and a 2017 Mandela Rhodes Scholar.   Ogutu’s life journey is proof that...
2023-10-1529 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 464 - Addressing Renewable Energy’s Weak Link Guest: Matt HarperEp 464 - Addressing Renewable Energy’s Weak Link Guest: Matt Harper By Stuart McNish   Will vanadium redox flow batteries address an issue that has been the Achilles’ heel of renewable energy production – how to store the power generated by wind and solar power generation? The sector has challenges, such as the inability of renewable energy sources to produce consistent on-demand power needed to supply an ever-fluctuating need.    Matt Harper of Vancouver-based Invinity Energy Systems, a leader in battery storage systems says, “Yes. And in doing so, we will be fil...
2023-08-3022 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 463 - Working Towards Ending Genocide Guest: Dr James SmithEp 463 - Working Towards Ending Genocide Guest: Dr James Smith By Stuart McNish “More than 60% of the population of Rwanda was born after the genocide in 1994. They feel its effects, but have little knowledge of what caused it to happen,” says Dr. James Smith of Aegis Trust.  The ravages of genocide tear familes, communities and societies apart. Smith adds, “It takes decades of reconciliation, peace-building and support to repair the damage done, and constant vigilance to ensure it does not happen again.” Central to ensuring it doesn’t happen ag...
2023-08-3026 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 461 - Life in Canada after fleeing Syria Guest: Nour SulimanEp 461 - Life in Canada after fleeing Syria Guest: Nour Suliman By Stuart McNish   It’s been eight years since 25,000 Syrian refugees were resettled in Canada. Our country, in keeping with our commitment to the United Nations Commission for Refugees, is “obliged to protect refugees and treat them according to international standards.” Nour Suliman and her family fled to Canada after dodging bullets, landmines and barrel bombs in Syria.    Nour and her family were some of the 13 million Syrians forced from their homes. Some moved within their country...
2023-08-3023 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 462 - How to reduce adverse drug reactions Guest: Amani SainiEp 462 - How to reduce adverse drug reactions Guest: Amani Saini By Stuart McNish According to the Food and Drug Administration in the United States, “there are more than 2.2 million serious adverse drug reactions in hospitalized patients, causing over 106,000 deaths annually.” The British Pharmacological Society in a “Fatal Adverse Drug Reaction” global study says, “Adverse drug reactions are the most common cause of hospital admission and one of the top seven causes of death.”   In Canada, Amani Saini’s sister had a critical adverse drug reaction to an...
2023-08-3028 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 466 - Ozempic and Weight Loss Guest: Dr Devyn ParsonsEp 466 - Ozempic and Weight Loss Guest: Dr Devyn Parsons By Stuart McNish   It has been called a wonder drug for its unintended benefits to anyone wrestling with obesity. Ozempic does for obese people what their bodies can no longer do – shedding weight. Dr. Devyn Parsons, an obesity specialist, says, “Your body locks onto what it believes is your ideal weight – that, being the highest weight of your life. And it doesn’t want to let go.”   According to a study published by the American Journal of Public Healt...
2023-08-2524 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 465 - Seeing Street Kids’ Potential Guest: Krista ThompsonEp 465 - Seeing Street Kids’ Potential Guest: Krista Thompson By Stuart McNish   “The reasons why children end up on the streets are complex. Often, their arrival represents an active decision on their part in response to serious rights violations at home,” says Moses Ogutu in “Under The Bridge: The Invisible Lives of Street Children.” Ogutu was a child of the street for five years. Today, he is an international business and trade lecturer at the African Leadership University and a 2017 Mandela Rhodes Scholar.   Ogutu’s life journey is proof that...
2023-08-2529 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 460 - Creating Sustainable Pet Food Guest: Christine MallierEp 460 - Creating Sustainable Pet Food Guest: Christine Mallier By Stuart McNish   Cats and dogs are everywhere in Canada and they outnumber children under 14 by a big margin. According to the Canadian Animal Health Institute, there are 16.5 million cats and dogs in Canada. Statistics Canada, for 2021, puts the child population at 15.6% or 6.2 million. In other words, we love our pets.   There are myriad reasons why people love pets. One is they never grow up and move away. According to Mindpath Health, “Pets need you now, next week and...
2023-07-1423 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 459- British Columbia’s economy is a question mark Guest: Jock FinlaysonEp 459- British Columbia’s economy is a question mark Guest: Jock Finlayson By Stuart McNish   British Columbia is but a speck on the global GDP map. “We are 0.3% – in other words, not very significant,” says economist Jock Finlayson. He goes on to point out that our place in the world isn’t about to change. In fact, it’s going to slip. “We are entering a lost decade of real per-capita GDP growth, which means growing real salaries will be challenging.”   It’s not all doom and gloom, however...
2023-07-0725 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 458 - Vaccinating against rejection Guest: Dr Eli JosephEp 458 - Vaccinating against rejection Guest: Dr Eli Joseph By Stuart McNish   It is common to be intimidated by rejection. The thought of failing or getting turned down for an opportunity that we have always wanted can influence the way we make genuine decisions toward our goals. Moreover, the overall experience of getting rejected can negatively affect our self-esteem.  Dr Eli Joseph says, “You can get over this fear of rejection! In fact, you can become immune to it.” Based on his own experience of thousands upon thousands of rej...
2023-07-0723 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 457 - Can Fish be Farmed on Land? Guest: Tony PantagesEp 457 - Can Fish be Farmed on Land? Guest: Tony Pantages By Stuart McNish   In February 2023, federal Fisheries Minister Joyce Murray announced that licenses for 15 open-net Atlantic salmon farms around British Columbia's Discovery Island will not be renewed – a planned cancellation that has now been delayed in large part due to concerns raised by indigenous leaders, who point to problems associated with moving fish farms on shore.   Norway has generated a depth of knowledge and experience in the field of land-based salmon farming in state-of-the-art recirculating aquaculture syst...
2023-07-0724 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 456 - A Lost Decade Ahead for Canada Guest: David WilliamsEp 456 - A Lost Decade Ahead for Canada Guest: David Williams By Stuart McNish   “The Canadian economy is on track to be the worst performing economy out of 38 advanced countries over the next 40 years, with the lowest growth in real GDP per capita,” says David Williams, the Vice-President of Policy at the Business Council of British Columbia. He goes on to say, “Young Canadians entering the workforce today are facing 40 years of stagnant average real incomes, according to OECD projections.”   That is a dire warning to policymakers in Canada...
2023-07-0723 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 455 - Women on Corporate Boards  Guest: Jennifer ReynoldsEp 455 - Women on Corporate Boards  Guest: Jennifer Reynolds By Stuart McNish   Here, it is 2023 and according to Forbes Magazine, only ten percent of Fortune 500 companies are led by women. The magazine, however,  sees that ten percent as “a new milestone. While these numbers may not seem like a cause for celebration, they are when one considers the history of women achieving top leadership roles in business.”   The history of women at the top of Fortune 500 companies has included just two CEOs for decades. Forbes points out that “as...
2023-07-0723 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 454 - The Power of Giving Guest: John BromleyEp 454 - The Power of Giving Guest: John Bromley By Stuart McNish   In the book “Why Good Things Happen to Good People,” Stephen Post writes that “giving to others” has been shown to increase health benefits. A separate study by Michael Norton from Harvard Business School revealed that “people are happier when they spend money on others versus themselves.”    These are all wonderful reasons to give. As Martin McNish stated in “Give a Damn” (a Conversations That Matter episode), “giving proves that you can make a difference in the lives of other...
2023-06-0429 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 453 - Top Sixty Over 60 Guest: Helen Hirsh SpenceEp 453 - Top Sixty Over 60 Guest: Helen Hirsh Spence By Stuart McNish   “‘Sorry, you’re too old. Sorry, you’re too experienced. Sorry. Sorry, but we’re looking for someone younger who will stay with us longer.’ These are just some of the reasons employers use to overlook talented over 60 applicants,” says Helen Hirsh Spence of Top Sixty Over Sixty. The mission, according to the organization’s website, is to “provide tools and training to address ageism and promote age diversity in the workplace.”   Organizations that turn their back on workers...
2023-06-0423 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 452 - Wrestling with Democracy Guest: Dennis PilonEp 452 - Wrestling with Democracy Guest: Dennis Pilon By Stuart McNish   Justin Trudeau had promised that the 2015 federal election would be the last time a government would be chosen in Canada using the first-past-the-post voting system. That promise promptly evaporated and morphed into support for a proportional representation voting system. In the following months, the Prime Minister directed the Minister of Democratic Institutions to drop the idea.   In 2021, the Liberals set a record for the lowest vote share of a party that would go on to form go...
2023-05-1823 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 451 - Cathedral Thinking Guest: Rick AntonsonEp 451 - Cathedral Thinking Guest: Rick Antonson By Stuart McNish   Groucho Marx once quipped, “Why should I care about future generations? What have they ever done for me?” According to Rick Antonson, “You have a responsibility to your children’s great grandchildren.” In fact, Antonson says, “You need to wrench yourself from your phone and become a cathedral thinker about the big issues of our times.”    The concept crosses many cultures. Chief Oren Lyons, of the Onondaga Nation, a member of the Iroquois Confederacy, says, “Looking ahead is one of the first...
2023-05-1824 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 450 - Fighting Cancer with CAR-T Cells Guest: Sarah RothMay 5, 2023 Ep 450 - Fighting Cancer with CAR-T Cells Guest: Sarah Roth By Stuart McNish   Cancer – there are more than 200 different types. The odds are high that you or someone you know will get cancer. It is an insidious disease; it can start almost anywhere in your body and spread. Stopping its spread is the work of cancer researchers all over the world and experts in British Columbia are developing breakthroughs.   Recently a multi-site Phase-I clinical trial, launched by BC Cancer and the Ottawa Hospital Research Inst...
2023-05-0329 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 449 - Eight Deaths a Day Guest: Troy CliffordEp 449 - Eight Deaths a Day Guest: Troy Clifford By Stuart McNish   Eight people in British Columbia will die today from a drug overdose – eight people yesterday, eight the day before, eight the day before that, and so on. On March 22nd, BC’s Emergency Health Service responded to 205 overdose poisoning patients – “a new provincial record” says Troy Clifford, the Provincial President of the Ambulance Paramedics & Emergency Dispatchers of BC. He continues to say, “On April 2nd, BCEHS experienced the nineteenth consecutive day in a row where we attended to more than 100 over...
2023-05-0123 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 448 - Space – The Final Food Frontier Guest: Prof. Mike DixonEp 448 - Space – The Final Food Frontier Guest: Prof. Mike Dixon By Stuart McNish   Captain James T. Kirk starts “Star Trek” by saying, “Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore new worlds; to seek out new life and civilizations; to boldly go where no one has gone before!” Five years is a long time and packing five years of food would be impossible.   While the writers of the series dealt with the production of food in a variety of w...
2023-05-0126 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 447 - One Girl Can Guest: Natasha QuestelEp 447 - One Girl Can Guest: Natasha Questel By Stuart McNish   “Every girl should have the opportunity to rise to her full potential,” says Natasha Questel, the CEO of One Girl Can, a British Columbia-based not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing assistance to some of the world’s most vulnerable girls. Questel adds, “Girls with high-potential deserve a chance to rise above extreme poverty and gender inequality.”   As citizens of the world, we have a responsibility to aid others in reaching their full potential. Questel says, “One Girl Can is dedicat...
2023-05-0124 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 446 - Can data help at-risk youth?  Guest: Bill WarburtonEp 446 - Can data help at-risk youth?  Guest: Bill Warburton By Stuart McNish   Can “a scientific approach to addressing social issues using administrative data” improve outcomes in education, health, social services and crime? That is the hypothesis of a new paper published by four distinguished Canadian economists. The authors say there is a “relationship between measures of secondary educational attainment and indicators of poor outcome later in life. Poor outcomes are seen to primarily manifest among high school dropouts.”   One of the authors of the paper, Bill Warburton...
2023-05-0125 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 445 - Purpose and how it works Guest: Jade SimmonsEp 445 - Purpose and how it works Guest: Jade Simmons By Stuart McNish   The world as you knew it has been upended. First, by the pandemic; and now emerging from lockdown, what you thought was going to be a return to your old life isn’t happening – and it's not going to. Jade Simmons knows all too well that life does not unfold the way you hope it will. She says, “You have to know what you want and where to find it.”   Simmons says, “Finding purpose in life isn’...
2023-05-0125 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 444  - Grey Zone Warfare Guest: Calvin ChrustieEp 444  - Grey Zone Warfare Guest: Calvin Chrustie By Stuart McNish   According to “On Track,'' the magazine published by the CDA (Conference of Defence Associations) Institute,  “hybrid warfare,” also known as grey zone conflict or unrestricted warfare, is a real and present danger.   “On Track” states that “these are just three terms used to describe the same phenomenon – multi-faceted attacks against a country that have serious implications for its national security and defence institutions. They may include military elements, but may also be mounted using cyber tools, public and...
2023-05-0123 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 443  - Monitoring the Ocean in Real-Time Guest: Dr. Scott BeattyEp 443  - Monitoring the Ocean in Real-Time Guest: Dr. Scott Beatty By Stuart McNish   The odds are good that you live on the coast. In Canada, according to Natural Resources Canada, 38.3 percent of us live within 20 kilometres of the coast. In the US, more than 52 percent live within miles of the coast. What happens on the waters that lap against our shores matters. According to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, “we rely on our oceans for food, jobs, [and] clean air. Our social fabric is woven into the vast history of maritime and...
2023-03-1523 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 442  - What is Putin’s End Game? Guest: John StufflebeemEp 442  - What is Putin’s End Game? Guest: John Stufflebeem By Stuart McNish   The one-year mark of the invasion of Ukraine has come and we’ve sailed past it with no end in sight. Vice Admiral (Ret) of the US Navy John Stufflebeem says, “Putin continues to ramp up pressure by withdrawing from the New START treaty, implying he's getting closer to going nuclear.”   Stufflebeem says, “For as long as Putin remains in power, he will continue his ‘military operation’ of defending Russia and use it to work to exhaus...
2023-03-1526 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 431 - The Magic, Mystery and Power of Words Guest: Jonathan BerkowitzEp 431 - The Magic, Mystery and Power of Words Guest: Jonathan Berkowitz By Stuart McNish   Words are magical things. Words, when spoken out loud in performance, can be  and often are like music. When rhythm, timber, pitch and pace are spoken aloud, they are like notes of music. Words – whether spoken, read or thought – ignite a complex series of neural circuits that bring meaning to words.   Words can be and are fun unto themselves. Pulling together a combination of words – like “cantankerous old curmudgeon” – oddly and in a contradictory...
2023-02-1724 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 429 - Sounding the Ambulance Alarm Guest: Troy CliffordEp 429 - Sounding the Ambulance Alarm Guest: Troy Clifford By Stuart McNish   Imagine that a loved one in your family has fallen and hurt themselves. They can’t move. You call 9-1-1 and ask for an ambulance to be sent to your home – at least, that’s what you thought was the best way to care for your cherished family member. “Now, you can’t help but wonder if an ambulance will arrive,” says Troy Clifford, the Provincial President of the Ambulance Paramedics and Dispatchers of British Columbia union.   Fr...
2023-02-1723 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 428 - HIV/AIDS is still a Pandemic Guest: Dr Julio MontanerEp 428 - HIV/AIDS is still a Pandemic Guest: Dr Julio Montaner By Stuart McNish   In 1996, Julio Montaner hosted the Vancouver International AIDS Conference and, at the same time, shared the HAART antiretroviral treatment that he and a team of committed scientists were pioneering in Vancouver. Since then, he has pioneered the concept of Treatment as Prevention (TasP). Dr Montaner was the first person to advocate for the expansion of HAART coverage to curb the impact on the HIV/AIDS pandemic and to decrease progression to AIDS and death.  ...
2023-02-1724 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 427 - Working with Artificial Intelligence Guest: Thomas DavenportEp 427 - Working with Artificial Intelligence Guest: Thomas Davenport By Stuart McNish   “The world does not lack for management ideas [sic]. Thousands of researchers, practitioners, and other experts produce tens of thousands of articles, books, papers, posts, and podcasts each year. But only a scant few promise to truly move the needle on practice, and fewer still date to reach into the future of what management will become. It is this rare breed of idea – meaningful to practice, grounded in evidence, and built for the future – that we seek to present,” says Robe...
2023-02-1726 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 426 - Can Farming Survive Gov Policy? Guest: Kritjan HebertEp 426 - Can Farming Survive Gov Policy? Guest: Kritjan Hebert By Stuart McNish   Farming is a risky business and it’s even riskier when bad government policies undermine good farming and agricultural practices. Kristjan Hebert says, “I can deal with a bad year, a bad crop, and even Mother Nature, but I can’t insure against bad policy.” He is speaking to the federal government’s plan to cut back on the amount of nitrogen Canada emits by use of fertilizers.   That plan would see a 30% reduction in emissions...
2023-02-1731 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 425 - Is Breast Cancer Research Flawed? Guest: Paula GordonEp 425 - Is Breast Cancer Research Flawed? Guest: Paula Gordon By Stuart McNish   If you are a woman in your 40s, don’t worry about a mammogram. At least that’s what Canadian research has been saying since the 1980s. Dr. Paula Gordon, a renowned radiology researcher and clinical professor at the University of British Columbia, says, “The research is wrong!” In a commentary paper that was published in the Journal of Medical Screening, Gordon and colleagues point out the Canadian National Breast Screening Study classified women incorrectly.   Gordon s...
2023-02-1725 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 424 - YVR - Gateway Airport Guest: Tamara VroomanEp 424 - YVR - Gateway Airport Guest: Tamara Vrooman By Stuart McNish   Anyone who passes through Vancouver’s YVR airport recognizes that the facility – like the city, the region and the province it services – is beautiful. So many other airports around the world are utilitarian structures designed to move people with no regard for the aesthetics that make people feel as if they are in a special place.  Tamara Vrooman, the CEO of YVR agrees: “It’s spectacular!”   YVR is not only beautiful – it's functional as well. Tourism and cargo...
2023-02-1724 minConversations That Matter
Conversations That MatterEp 423 - Canada’s Gateway Port Guest: Duncan WilsonEp 423 - Canada’s Gateway Port Guest: Duncan Wilson By Stuart McNish   Dock workers, truck drivers, forklift operators, tug boat deck hands, ships pilots, and crane operators rarely make the news. In fact, the only time we hear about them is when, in rare cases, something stops working the way it does 99.9% of the time.   Duncan Wilson, the VP of Environment and External Affairs at the Port of Vancouver says, “These are the people whose work makes our lives work. They are the lifeblood of the country, the pr...
2023-02-171h 09